Dairy/Soy Free Eating Out Recs
Any recommendations for restaurants that are allergen friendly and/or have menus that are well labeled for allergens? Recently made the switch to a dairy and soy free diet for my nursing babe with a food allergy and am nervous to eat out and accidentally eat something that makes her sick. Open to all types of restaurants - from toddler friendly and super casual all the way to a very needed date night spots!
Sep 20, 2022
Parent Replies
I'm in the same boat! Here's what I've found so far - Paulista on Park Blvd was able to tell me that they use soybean oil to fry but otherwise there is no soy in other dishes. Dairy was easy to spot on the menu and avoid. Timeless on Piedmont Ave has a nice dairy and soy free birthday cake that we used for a celebration but not all their cakes are soy free and virtually all their pastries have soy. Mr. Dewey's cashew creamery ice cream is dairy and soy free and is great, the scoop shop on Solano does have sprinkles which is important for my 4 year old :)
Pomella in Oakland has allergens listed on their menu. I've heard that Three Stone Hearth in Berkeley lists every ingredient in their prepared food. Also, I remember bookmarking this site back in the day: https://www.allergyeats.com/. It's supposed to show you which restaurants are allergy friendly, and allows you to filter based on allergens.
Servers are usually very understanding of allergens, and generally know which items on the menus have said allergens. And if they don't know, they are happy to ask the kitchen!
My mother-in-law is gluten-free, dairy-free, meat-free but eats fish and eggs, and can't have added sugar, my sister-in-law has severe celiac disease. and I am allergic to eggs and shellfish and we have no problem finding tons of places to eat. You just have to tell them your restrictions and probably best to check out the menus in advance. You probably don't have to limit yourself as much as you think, though I TOTALLY get the anxiety. My SIL will end up in the hospital if she eats gluten or it even whispers over her food so I totally get it.
Rudy's (diner in Emeryville) is a spot where most people can find something, it's good for toddlers, and they are very accommodating to food restrictions (which is somewhat unexpected since it's a diner). Pretty much any upscale place can work around food restrictions, especially if given advance notice (plan those date nights!).
Good luck! You got this!
I'm lactose intolerant so I always appreciate a vegan restaurant because I don't have to triple check that the dishes are dairy free. Lots of vegan restaurants also list other allergens, like soy. The Butcher's Son in Berkeley (cute back patio) and Vegan Mob (takeout only but near Lake Merritt) are two solid vegan options that have allergen info.